Labor leaders past and present have paid tribute to former prime minister Gough Whitlam, who has marked his 90th birthday with a fundraising lunch for the University of Western Sydney's Whitlam Institute.

Mr Whitlam led the Labor Party to victory in the 1972 election after 23 years of conservative party rule, but he was controversially dismissed by governor-general Sir John Kerr in 1975.

Current Labor leader Kim Beazley, who attended today's the celebration, says Mr Whitlam was responsible for modernising the Labor Party.

"Gough Whitlam is the bloke who made the modern Australian Labor Party," Mr Beazley said.

"He changes us from being a party that talked about the means of socialising, the means of production, distribution and exchange, to being one about equality of opportunity."

Labor newcomer and frontbencher Peter Garrett says Mr Whitlam is a living legend.

"Gough makes the phrase 'living legend' come absolutely true through the life that he's still living," he said.

"I wish him every successful minute, day, month and year that he can have following his 90th."

Another frontbencher, Julia Gillard, said: "I think Gough Whitlam for people my age is just a legendary political figure - he changed this country, he changed our lives."